Blog
IMTS Behind The Scenes
ESCA, EDPA Midwest and IAEE Midwest hosted an education session, a behind-the-scenes tour of IMTS and an Industry Meet-Up at McCormick Place in Chicago.
On September 9, ESCA joined the EDPA Midwest Chapter and IAEE Midwest Chapter to host an education session, behind-the-scenes tour of IMTS, and Industry Meet-Up at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Before heading onto the show floor, attendees heard from John Loveless, Senior Vice President of Business Development at GES, and Peter Carroll, incoming ESCA President and Vice President, North Division, at GES. They shared what it takes to bring an event of this scale to life, from freight, labor, equipment, and floor marking to electrical, signage, wayfinding, and the coordination of thousands of moving parts.
Attendees then donned their safety vests and toured the show floor during move-in, seeing firsthand how an empty convention center is transformed into one of the largest industrial technology shows in the Western Hemisphere. The day concluded with an Industry Meet-Up that gave attendees from across the industry an opportunity to continue the conversation and build new connections.
For ESCA, the purpose of this event extended well beyond seeing an impressive show come together. The work performed by general service contractors and suppliers is often experienced only through the finished show floor or viewed as an individual line item. Providing a firsthand look at the planning, expertise, labor, and coordination behind that work helps address misconceptions and creates a stronger understanding of how each part of the event ecosystem contributes to a successful show.
Bringing together the communities represented by ESCA, EDPA, and IAEE also matters. When service contractors, suppliers, experiential designers, producers, show organizers, and other industry partners learn alongside one another, we create more informed planning, better communication, and greater respect for the roles each organization plays.
Events like this strengthen the entire industry by breaking down barriers and creating opportunities to learn from perspectives beyond our own. ESCA is proud to collaborate with EDPA and IAEE to bring the full event ecosystem together, and we look forward to creating more opportunities for shared education and connection.
Thank you to IMTS and AMT, GES, McCormick Place, and Freeman for helping make this experience possible.